New Year with new hopes

Today is a day when everyone all over the world repeats the greeting of 'Happy New Year' from their lips. Another new year has been born with the bright rays of hope. Let us hope that 2026 will be filled with peaceful days and nights to forget old sorrows and embrace new joys. 2025 has been a year filled with many exciting and happy events for India and Kerala.

Although it lasted only a few days, it was a year in which a war had to be fought with neighbouring Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted in 'Mann Ki Baat' that 'Operation Sindoor' has become a symbol of pride for every Indian. 'The world has clearly seen that today's India has not compromised on security. The world has come to understand the power of India. The same sentiment was evident even when Vande Mataram completed 150 years.' These words of the Prime Minister are a testament to the strong identity that India will leave in every field in the days to come.

India made significant progress in science and space last year. Shubhanshu Shukla becoming the first Indian to reach the International Space Station was a dreamlike scientific achievement. The Mahakumbh Mela held in Prayagraj in the months of January and February earlier last year brought crores of people from all over the country and the world to take a holy dip in the Ganges. In a way that makes sense of poet TS Elliot’s saying that April is the cruellest month, the incident in which terrorists mercilessly killed 26 Indian tourists in front of their family members in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, took place on April 22, 2025.

The airstrikes called Operation Sindoor, which lasted from May 6 to 10, were a response to this. This incident, which forced Pakistan to request a ceasefire from India, became a declaration of India's power to the world. The incident of the Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12, in which 241 passengers and 19 civilians lost their lives, was a shock to India. The stampede at a campaign rally of film actor Vijay's party in Karur, Tamil Nadu, which resulted in the loss of about fifty lives, became the biggest loss of September. On November 10, an explosive-laden car exploded near the Red Fort in New Delhi, killing 12 people, including a suicide bomber, which became a major challenge to national security.

The NDA won the assembly elections in Delhi and Bihar in November, proving that the popular stronghold of the political party BJP is unassailable. ISRO completed 2025 by making new history. ISRO's LVM 03 rocket attracted the attention of the entire world by successfully launching the 6500 kg American satellite Bluebird Block-2.

Kerala also went through a year full of news and controversies last year. Sabarimala gold loot, PM SHRI, extreme poverty-free Kerala, Messi, Rahul Mamkootathil's Who Cares, the verdict in the actress attack case, Ayyappa Sangamam, parody song, etc. The eventful 2025 ended with a setback for the ruling party in the local elections. It was a relief that the 266-day-long protest of ASHA workers with various demands, including increasing honorarium, ended on the basis of the government's assurances, even if not successfully.

The Nilambur by-election, which was held in a heated atmosphere after the tension created by PV Anvar, and the victory of UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath, was a hot topic in the frontline politics. The political leader who made big news last year was Rahul Mamkootathil, who lost his Youth Congress presidency due to sexual harassment allegations, was expelled from Congress, went into hiding, and came out seeking anticipatory bail when the case came to court later.

The Sabarimala gold theft scandal engulfed the Left government in a serious crisis following the global Ayyappa Sangam organised by the government for the comprehensive development of Sabarimala. The two Devaswom Board presidents, who were staunch party members appointed by the CPM, are still in prison. The ruling party suffered setbacks and unexpected losses in the local elections held in the state due to this. The BJP's capture of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation for the first time can be described as a historic event.

This is also the Happy New Year, which marks a change of government in the state. Questions and discussions, such as whether the UDF will come on the heels of the local body election results or whether the LDF will be able to continue in power, are going on everywhere. The two major ship accidents in the maritime area of ​​Kerala, the subsequent fuel spillage and the incidents of containers hitting the shore, had created great concern. The Munambam strike was also discussed throughout Kerala. The year also saw Mohanlal receive the Phalke Award, the country's highest honour for his comprehensive contribution to Indian cinema.

The biggest loss of the past year was the passing of Comrade V.S. Achuthanandan, who left a legacy as a "Red Star" of Kerala politics. Sreenivasan has also passed away, saying goodbye to laughter, causing the biggest loss to the film industry and the social scene. The demise of singer P Jayachandran is also a great sorrow. Waiting and hope lead every life forward. 'Kerala Kaumudi' wishes everyone a happy New Year.